


The Torchwood Institute

by missthingsplace



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Complete, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Rating: NC17, Romance, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 03:46:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 12,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1181507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missthingsplace/pseuds/missthingsplace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p> When Jack agrees to go to The Torchwood Institute for one month after being in rehab he never expected to find love there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

**Title:** The Torchwood Institute  
 **Author** **:** [ ](http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/profile) [](http://missthingsplace.livejournal.com/)**missthingsplace**  
 **Parings/characters:** Jack/Ianto, Owen, Toshiko, Gwen, Rhys, Rose, Mickey, Rhiannon  
 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or any of the characters ... unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while.  
 **Summary:**  When Jack agrees to go to The Torchwood Institute for one month after being in rehab he never expected to find love there.  
 **Warnings:** Slash, fluff, romance, angst, humour, AU  
 **Spoilers:** Anything is fair game   
**Rating:** NC17 for series   
  
 **A/N:** This was inspired by an episode of House.

Week One.

Jack strode quickly down the corridor, well as quickly as he could with a cane and straight into the doctors office without knocking.

“I'm leaving,” he stated. “I came in here voluntarily, you can't keep me here.”

“No, you're right,” Owen Harper replied with a small smile. “but are you sure you're really ready to leave?”

“It's been three months, I'm clean,” Jack told him with a small huff.

“Physically yes, your body is clean of the drugs,” Owen agreed. “but are you ready mentally?”

“Mentally?” Jack asked, dropping down into the leather sofa in the corner of the office.

“You've been addicted to those painkillers for years,” Owen answered. “I know you think you can handle not being in here, can control your own medication but I'm not so sure.”

“Do you really think I'd let myself go back to the way I was again?” Jack argued.

Owen shrugged. “Addiction is hard to break, how about if I let you leave you do me a favour?”

“What kind of favour?” Jack asked, leaning forwards in his seat.

“I want you to spend one month in the Torchwood Institute,” Owen replied, watching carefully for the other man's reaction.

“The Torchwood Institute?” Jack repeated, frowning.

“Just to evaluate your mental state before you go back out into the big wide world,” Owen said with what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “they'll be able to tell if you really are able to deal with the pain without the strong medication you were addicted to.”

“And if I say no?” Jack asked.

“Then I can't stop you, as you said, you came here of your own free will,” Owen answered. “but I really think it will be in your best interest.”

“One month?” Jack asked and Owen nodded in conformation. “And like here it's voluntarily? I can leave if I wish?”

“Of course,” Owen told him.

“Okay, one month,” Jack agreed. “but that all.”

“Good, I have already contacted the psychiatrist in charge, she's expecting you this afternoon,” Owen said, handing him his discharge papers to sign. “Doctor Sato, Toshiko Sato.”

“Really?” Jack asked, adding hopefully. “Is she pretty?”

“She'll be your doctor Captain Harkness and I would like to think that you wouldn't try to get into her knickers?” Owen asked, giving him a stern look.

“Oooh, hit a sore point did I?” Jack chuckled. “Do I get the feeling you wish to get into her knickers yourself?”

“That would be none of your business!” Owen told him indignantly.

“I was right then,” Jack grinned. “well, I guess I'll be saying goodbye then.”

“Bye Jack, and I'm sure you won't take it the wrong way when I say I hope I never see you here again?” Owen replied.

“Nope, not in the slightest,” Jack answered and then headed straight out of the office and climbed into the waiting Taxi.  
  
TBC


	2. Chapter 2

“Captain Harkness, we've been expecting you,” the petite young woman before him said, extending her hand out towards him.

Jack took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips and softly kissed the knuckles.

“The lovely Doctor Sato I've heard about I assume?” Jack said, giving her his widest smile.

“I am and I've been forewarned about you Sir,” Toshiko said with a smile of her own, removing her hand from the Captains.

“I don't know what you could possibly mean!” Jack answered, trying his best to look and sound completely innocent.

“Just remember that I'm your doctor and then we'll get on fine,” she said, turning to press some numbers on the keypad on the door behind her and then pushed it open. “if you'd like to follow me I'll introduce you to your fellow companions.”

“Don't you mean inmates?” Jack asked.

“We don't like to think of anyone unfortunate enough to be in here that way, they are just patients like any other hospital and I hope you can treat them with the same respect you'd hope for yourself?” Toshiko asked him.

“Of course, sorry,” Jack apologised, glancing about at the other patients in the large communal area.

“Good, now lets introduce you,” Toshiko told him and indicated various people in the room as she told him their names.

“The blonde girl over there in the corner is Rose, the black guy trying to get her to talk to him is Mickey,” Toshiko informed him. “the dark haired woman sat on the floor playing with the doll is Gwen and the woman sat at the far end of the room is Rhiannon.”

“I thought there would be more patients,” Jack said, taking in all the people around him.

“No, it's much easier with smaller groups to help them,” Toshiko said.

“Can I ask why they are here?” Jack asked.

“Those details are confidential, unless the patients offer them to you themselves,” she replied. “now, lets introduce to you the rest of the group.”

With that she called everyone to the group of chairs in the middle of the room and once they were all seated she sat herself and introduced Jack.

“Hi,” Jack told them cheerfully. “just so to reassure you that I'm not dangerous I want you to know that I'm here for one month after coming off strong medication for the pain in my leg, I hurt it over ten years ago in a plane crash.”

“That explains the limp then,” Mickey grinned, acknowledging him with a nod.

“We're you a pilot?” Gwen asked, her large eyes seeming to grow even bigger.

“Yep, in the RAF,” Jack replied proudly. “but an accident put paid to that, now I'm just stuck behind a desk.”

“I never want to go in a plane,” Rose put in quietly but a panic still evident in her voice. “no, never, never!”

“And no-one will ever make you,” Mickey told her comfortingly.

While Toshiko went around the small group asking them how they felt that day Jack focused on the one person who hadn't spoken, Rhiannon and wondered what her story was as she sat there completely silently gazing down at her hands in her lap.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Over dinner a few hours later with his fellow patients Jack managed to work out why they were in there, Gwen was anorexic, Rose was agoraphobic with self harming tendencies and Mickey was on medication for Bipolar disorder – Mickey had offered this information willingly to Jack, telling him he had come off the medication without medical supervision and after spending time in a higher security hospital he was now there for them to evaluate him before letting him back out into society.

But he still had no idea what Rhiannon's story was, nor did anyone else and she remained the same, quiet and stuck in her own private world, eating mechanically when the food was placed in front of her. The only time she looked up was when someone entered or exited the nurses station as if she expected something to happen and then she'd drop her gaze to her hands again.

That night he found himself alone in a rather basic room, just a bed and one chest if drawers for his clothes. The ache in his leg seemed to be worse once he was alone and laying in the dark, his hand massaging it while he tried to get to sleep, finally doing so some hours later.

It was after lunchtime the next day when he spotted the rather cute looking man being let into the recreation room by Doctor Sato and judging by the way they greeted each other they weren't strangers. Jack watched as they exchanged words and then as the young man walked straight across the room towards Rhiannon and sat down beside her, taking her hands in his own and began to speak quietly to her.

While they had their daily, afternoon group meeting the unknown man sat to one side reading the book he had brought with him, glancing up towards the group now and then, which Jack didn't miss and when he caught his eye the young man buried himself in his book again to hide the blush than tinted his cheeks pink.

“Who's he?” Jack asked Toshiko when they group meeting was over.

“Ianto Jones, he's Rhiannon's brother,” she said a little sadly. “she's been here almost two years now and he's the only person who still visits her on a daily basis.”

“He must love her a lot,” Jack replied, watching the way Ianto patiently say with his unresponsive sister, talking to her quietly.

“She's all he has now,” Toshiko sighed. “it's such a sad story.”

“Tell me?” Jack urged.

“No, sorry, that's up to them if they wish anyone to know,” Toshiko replied bluntly. “I have to get back to work now.”

“Sure,” Jack said simply, still watching then brother and sister as he sat down on one of the hard plastic chairs until one of the orderlies, Rhys informed them that it was time to go out into the yard for their daily exercise.

Jack followed the other dutifully down to the yard, including Rose who was needing a lot of coaxing from Rhys and watched as Mickey and Gwen fell easily into a one on one game of basketball.

Rhys stayed close to Rose, reassuring her about being in the yard and Rhiannon just resumed her former position on the wooden bench in the corner, glancing upwards at the door to the recreation room where she would obviously rather be.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Week 2

Watching Rhiannon on the bench in the yard Jack couldn't help become more and more curious about her – and her brother truth be told who was sat up in the recreation room while they got their exercise and fresh air and had done every day since Jack had arrived

Formulating a plan in his head he waited until the staff were sufficiently distracted and then ran at a speed his damaged leg would allow to the bottom of the steps that led down to the yard from their floor and half ran, half hopped up them two steps at a time and in through the door, spotting Ianto Jones sat on one of the more comfortable chairs with his head buried in a book.

“Any good?” Jack asked, startling the other man a little.

“Good enough to keep my attention,” Ianto said, giving Jack a small, rather shy smile. “I hope Rhiannon is listening when I read to her, but to be honest, I have no idea.”

“I'm sure it does,” Jack said, walking across the room towards him and extending his hand. “Captain Jack Harkness.”

“Ianto Jones,” Ianto replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it firmly. “you're a patient?”

“Yeah, slight drug addiction, prescription painkillers though,” Jack told him truthfully. “I managed to get off them in rehab, I'm just here for a few weeks to make sure I can cope without them before heading back into the real world.”

“For your leg I'm guessing?” Ianto asked, not missing the other man's limp as he'd made his way across the room, relying a little on the stick in his hand.

Jack nodded. “A flying accident, I was lucky to survive with my life, let alone a damaged leg.”

“You were piloting?” Ianto asked, indicating that Jack should take a seat beside him.

“Yes, I had flow this rich couple out to a private island and on the way back to the mainland a tropical storm blew out of nowhere,” Jack explained. “I made it back to land by the skin of my teeth and crashed into a palm tree, luckily help arrived quickly and I made sure I was flown back here to Cardiff for treatment, that was just over five years ago now.”

“And the pain, it's not got any better?” Ianto asked sympathetically.

“Not really no, apparently I wasn't managing it properly, just chugging down painkillers willy nilly!” Jack said with a chuckle. “Now I've had proper pain management I should be able to live life without relying on them.”

“Do you think you can?” Ianto asked him.

“Only time will tell,” Jack sighed, massaging the aching muscle with his hand.

“I wish it was so easy to fix my sister,” Ianto sighed.

“What happened to her, if you don't mind me asking?” Jack asked carefully.

“She lost her whole family, her husband and two children,” Ianto answered sadly. “Johnny, her husband had taken them out swimming and on the way home a lorry pulled out in front of them … they didn't stand a chance and Rhiannon hasn't spoken since, not once in two years.”

“How long has she been here?” Jack asked, resisting the urge to take the younger man's hand in his own.

“Six months, but nothing they do seems to have any effect,” Ianto sighed. “I have no idea what will happen to her if they can't help her, except become her carer.”

“Do you have help? A wife? Girlfriend?” Jack asked in what he hoped was an innocent manner.

“I had a girlfriend, but we lived in London,” Ianto explained. “we tried to keep up a long distance relationship when I came back here but it wasn't to be.”

“I'm sorry,” Jack told him, giving him a look that caused the younger man's cheeks to colour slightly, just like the first time they had encountered each other.

“It's okay, it's over a year ago now,” Ianto shrugged. “I just wish there was something I could do for my sister, I have no idea what might bring her out of her silence, her family was her world.”

“Just time I imagine,” Jack said softly. “maybe just time.”

“I really hope you're right ...” Ianto said, trailing off and then changed the subject. “do you have anyone waiting for you?”

“No, I've been single for a while, I just need to meet the right person I guess,” Jack told him with a grin and a wink just as the others came back in, their exercise time over and settled in the chairs set in a circle in the middle of the room, except for Rhiannon who sat back in her usual seat by one of the windows.

“I should go and join the other,” Jack told Ianto reluctantly.

“It was good to meet you Jack,” Ianto smiled, getting up from his seat to take his place beside his sister.

“You too,” Jack answered and then took his seat in the circle. 

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

It was two days later when Jack found himself alone with Ianto Jones again, sat in the recreation room with him while the rest of his fellow companions were down in the yard and he couldn't help but sense that the younger man was happy for his company.

They had got themselves on the subject of the others in Jack's group and Ianto was telling him the little he knew about them once Jack assured him that he knew what ailed them.

“Rose has been here the longest, she was already here where Rhiannon came,” Ianto explained. “her Agoraphobia started about the time her boyfriend left. It was like something just switched off in her from what I gather, they used to travel all the time and when he dumped her she didn't want to leave her flat and only when her mother visited her did it become apparent just how ill she was.”

“And the self harming, that is all part of the same thing?” Jack asked, genuinely interested in the young woman.

“Yep, it's not a typical symptom but it looks that way,” Ianto agreed.

“She must have really loved him,” Jack sighed sadly.

“She talks about him all the time to Mickey, he seems to have taken a shine to her so maybe it'll help her along with the rest of the therapy,” Ianto said. “and he's the only one that can coax her down into the yard at the moment.”

“I noticed that,” Jack nodded. “what about Gwen, how long has she been here?”

“About two months, her husband had been concerned about her for a long while but he didn't know what to do,” Ianto replied. “they were trying for a baby and nothing was happening, in the end he insisted that they go and seek medical help and the doctor declared that she was far to underweight and anorexic to fall pregnant. She refused to admit that she wasn't eating and then a few weeks after the doctor's diagnosis she collapsed and was admitted to hospital. The resident psychiatrist managed to work out that it started long before she met her husband, going back to when she was at school but left unnoticed and untreated it just spiralled out of control.”

“At school? That far back? I'm guessing bulling was the culprit?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, some passing remark from someone about how her stomach made her look pregnant,” Ianto told him. “and that marked the beginning of the rest of her life so far.”

“I've not seen anyone visit her?” Jack said with a small, concerned frown.

“She's not allowed any visitors until she shows a marked improvement,” Ianto answered. “she's still barely eating, but I know that her husband calls regularly, I hear the staff telling her that he has.”

“Poor woman, no wonder she's always playing with that doll,” Jack said sadly. “she must still be wanting a baby so much, perhaps that will finally help her come to terms with her past and help her begin to recover.”

“They're good here, if anyone can help her, that can,” Ianto stated, then not missing the way Jack's hand was massaging his leg asked. “what about you, how are you managing without the strong pain relief?”

“Ibuprofen takes the edge off but it doesn't control it in the same way,” Jack admitted.

“The other drugs were controlling you, not the pain,” Ianto said.

“That's what they keep telling me,” Jack groaned. “how can they have any idea what being in constant pain is like when they aren't suffering in the same way themselves?”

“They can't, but they also know that being addicted to strong medication is just going to end up killing you,” Ianto told him.

“Sometimes I think that would be better than living in this much pain,” Jack admitted quietly.

“No, never think like that,” Ianto told him sternly, taking Jack's face in his hand and looking him straight in the eye. “never.”

Jack didn't say a word, he just stared into the blue eyes with his own for a moment or two before leaning forwards and brushing his lips against the younger man's.

“Sorry, I shouldn't have,” Jack said, pulling away from Ianto's hand moving to stand up, worried that he'd scare the younger man off.

Ianto reached out and grabbed his hand. “It's okay, sit. Please?”

Jack dropped back down into his seat. “Really? You're not offended?”

“Well, I've never been kissed by another guy before but I have to admit it wasn't the most unpleasant thing I've ever experienced,” Ianto replied, feeling a deep blush affecting his cheeks. “forget about it.”

“If you're sure?” Jack asked, wondering if Ianto had actually enjoyed it more than he was admitting.”

“Positive,” Ianto assured him, just as the staff and Jack's fellow companions came back in from the yard.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

“Why do you need a day pass? You've not even been here two weeks and you want a day out?” Toshiko asked Jack, pushing her glasses backwards with a finger from where they had slipped to the tip of her nose.

“I just need a day out,” Jack replied, giving her his hundred watt grin.

“There has to be more to it than that,” Toshiko pushed. “how much pain are you experiencing at the moment?”

“Pain? What has that got to do with anything?” Jack asked her, his smile turning into a frown.

“You tell me?” Toshiko countered. “You're the one wanting a day pass after less than two weeks in here.”

“Oh I get it,” Jack said with a loud chuckle. “you think I want to score some painkillers from somewhere?”

“Well, do you?” Toshiko asked him bluntly.

“No. My leg hurts no more today than it did when I first came here,” Jack replied. “what I need is a day out, lunch out in the real world, drinkable coffee.”

“On your own?” Toshiko asked him, chewing on the end of her pen, determined to get the Captain to admit the real reason.

“Sure,” Jack shrugged, his face a picture of innocence. Almost.

“It's time to tell the truth Jack, or I can't help you,” Toshiko said, giving him a sweet smile.

“Okay, okay, I want to have lunch with a … friend,” Jack sighed. “someone I want to get to know better.”

“And would that friend be the brother of a certain person here?” Toshiko asked. “Ianto Jones?”

“If you must know, yes!” Jack exclaimed. “Do you have any objections to us having lunch?”

“I've seen the way you look at him, and don't deny it Jack,” Toshiko answered. “do you really think it's wise, to get involved with him?”

“Who said anything about getting involved?” Jack asked her with a smile. “All we want to do is have a nice lunch somewhere and talk, where's the harm in that? And, I am here voluntarily, I could just leave if I wanted to now.”

“Okay Jack, you win,” Toshiko sighed resignedly. “you can have a pass for Friday and before you say anything, yes, it's the earliest I can arrange it for. I'm sure you can wait another two days?”

“If I must,” Jack moaned, using his cane to help him get back onto his feet from the chair he was sat on. “Thanks Tosh.”

“That's Doctor Sato to you,” she told him what a smile as he left her office.

Jack made his way back to his room and lay on his bed knowing that he had almost an hour until the daily group therapy session, closing his eyes he used the heel of his hand to try and massage away the pain in his leg.

Ianto Jones arrived half way through their therapy session and Jack found himself wishing away the minutes until it finished so he could tell the other man the good news and the second Toshiko announced it so he made his way across the room to his side.

“Friday, lunch just you and I,” Jack told the younger man with a smile.

“After I've seen Rhiannon, I know it doesn't look like she knows whether I'm here or not but I can't miss a whole day,” Ianto replied.

“That's fine by me,” Jack agreed readily, just half an hour alone with Ianto Jones would be enough for now, but he hoped it would be for longer. “I'll leave you alone with her, we can make the arrangements when she goes down to the yard.”

“Thanks Jack,” Ianto smiled and turned his attention back to his sister to talk to her about anything and everything in the hope that something would bring her out of her state. 

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

After pulling on the coat he hadn't had any need to wear for almost two weeks Jack slipped his wallet into his trouser pocket, checked his reflection in the small mirror on the wall of his room and declaring himself ready he went back to the recreation room to meet up with Ianto, now that the group was about to head off for their own lunch.

He waited at a distance while Ianto gave his sister a soft kiss on the cheek before she was led away by one of the nursing staff, when the younger man spotted him he gave a small wave and smiled at him.

“Ready for lunch?” Jack asked as Ianto walked towards him, dressed more smartly that he was usually attired in dark grey suit trousers and a deep red shirt.

“Starving,” Ianto replied easily, following Jack out of the room. “loving the coat by the way.”

“I kept hold of it when I left the RAF,” Jack explained as they entered the lift down to the ground floor. “it's warm and it looks good.”

“It suits you for sure,” Ianto agreed, leading the way out the front of the building once Jack had shown his day pass at the front desk and to his car.

“Wow, nice car!” Jack exclaimed appreciatively, sliding his fingers over the midnight blue paint of the Aston Martin.

“Thanks, it's my one vice,” Ianto smiled. “I like to drive in comfort.”

“I couldn't agree more,” Jack replied, thinking of his SUV which was sat in his garage at his house awaiting his return.

Ianto unlocked the car and they climbed in, fastening their seatbelts.

“So, where to for lunch? Did you have anywhere in particular in mind?” Ianto asked, starting the car.

“I thought that new French restaurant down by the bay, near the Plass,” Jack answered. “unless you'd rather somewhere else?”

“Nope, that sounds good to me,” Ianto agreed, putting the car into gear and pulling away from the kerb.

It took barely ten minutes for them to reach the car park nearest the Plass, they left the car and walked across the Plass towards the bay in the cool air of the rather bright spring day, Ianto having added a jacket against the chill. 

“Nice suit,” Jack commented, his fingers itching to take the younger man's hand in his own but instead shoving it deep into his pocket. “the colour of your shirt looks good on you.”

“Rhiannon always used to tell me that red was my colour,” Ianto smiled. “I guess that's why I wear it so often when I visit her, even if it usually is only t-shirts and hoodies.”

“So the suit, is that for my benefit?” Jack grinned.

“It just seemed like the right thing to wear today, for our … lunch … date,” Ianto answered. “is this a date?”

“Yeah, I'd like to think so,” Jack agreed. “if that's okay with you?”

“I was hoping so,” Ianto smiled at him and added teasingly as they stopped for a moment to look out at the bay. “especially after that kiss, if you can call it a kiss.”

“What would you call it then?” Jack pouted.

“More of a light brushing of the lips,” Ianto said thoughtfully. “a ghost of a kiss.”

“Kissed many men then, have you?” Jack asked, closing the small space between them.

“One or two, while I was at university,” Ianto shrugged. “before I met Lisa.”

“Then perhaps you should give me an example,” Jack said, cocking an eyebrow playfully.

“Here?” Ianto asked, glancing around at the almost deserted waterfront.

“It's as good a place as any,” Jack smiled at him invitingly.

Ianto closed the remaining inches between them, lifted his hand to gently touch the older man's cheek and then pressed his lips to his in a soft, lingering kiss before pulling back again.

“Mmm, that was definitely a good kiss,” Jack said, running his tongue over his lips. “at least to start with.”

“Well, if you want more than you need to feed me,” Ianto grinned just as his stomach let out a loud rumble. “I do my best kissing on a full stomach.”

“Then I think we should head straight to the restaurant now,” Jack declared, giving into the urge and grasping Ianto's hand in his own. “seeing that I'm now on a promise.”

“That depends on how good the meal is,” Ianto told him cheekily, letting the Captain lead him to the restaurant. 

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

“Delicious,” Ianto said, placing the spoon he had licked clean down in the now empty desert bowl.

“It was only ice cream,” Jack stated, finishing his own desert and wiping his mouth with his napkin.

“Maybe so, but it was the perfect ending to lunch,” Ianto replied. “thank you.”

“I'm just happy to get the chance to be away from that place for a while and with such good company,” Jack told him. “it must be hard for you, visiting Rhiannon every day and not seeing any progress?”

“It's not easy but I'm all she has,” Ianto told him sadly. “I just hope that some day, something I say will spark something inside her and she'll begin to come back to me.”

“Has there been no improvement at all, since she came to the Torchwood Institute?” Jack asked.

“Nope, I'm beginning to think that there's no hope, that she'll remain like this now,” Ianto answered.

“Where there's life, there's hope Ianto,” Jack told him firmly. “I truly believe that, maybe it won't be next week or even next month but I believe that she will come out of this.”

“I wish I had your optimism,” Ianto said quietly, the waiter appearing at their side.

“Can I get you anything else gentlemen?” He asked.

“Just the bill, thanks,” Jack replied and he hurried away to fetch it. “I think we both deserve some time away from the Institute, how about we go for a walk somewhere?”

“Yep, I like that idea,” Ianto nodded. “we could go down the coast, walk along the cliffs?” Ianto suggested.

“There's nothing like fresh sea air to clear away the cobwebs,” Jack agreed, handing the waiter a wad of notes when he returned and telling him to keep the change.

They hurried back to the car and less than thirty minutes later they were pulling into a parking space along side the cliff tops, falling into step beside each other it wasn't long until they found themselves hand in had as they walked along the well worn path along the top of the cliffs.

“It's clouding over,” Ianto noted, looking up at the sky.

“It's blowing in from the sea,” Jack frowned feeling a chill in the air as the weather began to change.

“Perhaps we should turn around, make our way back to the car,” Ianto suggested.

“A few drops of rain won't hurt us, and look there's blue sky following the clouds,” Jack answered. “we could take cover in that shelter until it passes?”

“You're on,” Ianto agreed, feeling the first few drops of cold rain patter on top of his head and with an unspoken agreement they broke into a run, still hand in hand towards the shelter, making it barely seconds before the heavens opened fully and the rain began to pelt down hard.

“We made it,” Ianto panted, dropping down onto the wooden bench inside the shelter.

“Shame, I think you'd look good all wet and dripping,” Jack grinned, taking a seat next to the younger man.

“And ruin this suit?” Ianto scoffed. “I only like to be wet and dripping when I shower.”

“Is that another invitation?” Jack asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Only time will tell,” Ianto laughed. “for now I believe I promised you another kiss?”

“You said that you did your best kissing on a full stomach,” Jack nodded. “and after that lunch it's got to be.”

“Then I shall let you be the judge,” Ianto told him, leaning towards the Captain and kissing his lips softly.

Ianto pulled away for just long enough to look into Jack's eyes and then pressed his lips to the older man's again, this time applying more pressure with his hand snaking around behind his neck to pull him even closer as the kiss intensified.

Jack's lips parted along with Ianto's willingly allowing the other man's tongue access to his mouth, letting it trace along the back of his teeth, the roof of his mouth and then tangle with his own. Jack's arms wrapped tightly around Ianto's waist, holding him tightly as the kiss became even deeper. Both of them losing themselves completely within it, the outside world and the rain completely forgotten as they indulged in each other.

When the kiss eventually broke their lips were puffy and their breathing a little laboured, panting softly they found themselves resting their foreheads against each other, each of them with a smile playing upon their lips.

“I have to say, you certainly didn't lie,” Jack said softly. “about kissing well on a full stomach.”

“Actually it doesn't matter if my stomach is full or not,” Ianto laughed softly. “I was starving and you promised me lunch.”

“Are you always this cheeky?” Jack said, smiling widely.

“I try my best,” Ianto retorted. “it's stopped raining again.”

“We should get back to the car, before the weather takes a turn for the worse again,” Jack replied.

“We should, I'd like to see Rhiannon again before I go home,” Ianto agreed. “but another ten minutes won't hurt, will it?”

“No,” Jack smirked and found the younger man's lips with his own to indulge in another long kiss.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Week 3

Jack couldn't keep his eyes off the young man on the far side of the room from his chosen spot in the circle of chairs, his mind not at all on the group session in any shape or form. It had been three days since their lunch date and he wanted nothing more than to get Ianto alone again, something to which everything seemed to be conspiring against.

When Ianto hadn't turned up on the Saturday and then the Sunday as usual to visit his sister Jack had begun to panic that he'd done something to scare the young man off, which sent his feelings reeling. It was bad enough that he was staying away so as not to see him, but to not visit his sister when he was all she had?

It was after hours of fretting quietly to himself on Sunday afternoon that Jack sought out Toshiko and asked of she had heard from Ianto, relieved somewhat with her answer and then worrying for other reasons.

“He's sick Jack,” Toshiko answered his question, peering at him over the rim of her glasses. “nothing for you to get worked up about, he just has a throat infection and doesn't want to risk passing it onto his sister. How are you Jack? Are you feeling okay?”

“I'm fine why?” Jack had answered, swallowing and ignoring the slight itch at the back of his throat.

“Are you sure, you look a little pale?” Toshiko pushed when Jack cleared his throat.

“I'm fine, just a little tickle in the back of my throat,” Jack insisted.

“Well, then it won't hurt to get you check out then, will it?” Toshiko said, giving the Captain a knowing smile and leading him from her office to the medial nurses station just along the hallway and explaining why they were there.

The nurse donned plastic gloves and asked Jack to open his mouth wide, she depressed his tongue and peered into this throat making a little 'aha' noise as she nodded.

“It looks like you have the beginnings of a throat infection,” the nurse confirmed. “I'll prescribe some antibiotics and if they don't work you need to come and see me again in three days.”

“Thanks,” Jack said, ignoring the smug look that Dr Sato was giving him, there was obviously no keeping anything from the woman.

Jack took the small bottle of pills and walked back to the recreation room with Toshiko as she explained that Ianto had called her again that morning to say he was feeling much better and would be visiting Rhiannon as usual on Monday.

“That's great, I know she doesn't show it but I'm sure she misses him when he doesn't visit,” Jack replied.

“Just Rhiannon?” Toshiko asked, giving a soft laugh at the innocent look upon the Captains face. “Oh come on now Jack, I've seen the way you two look at each other and lunch Jack? That was more than just an innocent lunch now, wasn't it?”

“Yeah, yeah!” Jack admitted with a grin and a shrug. “I like him, he likes me.”

“Now, that wasn't so hard to admit now, was it?” Toshiko grinned back. “Why don't you go and sit with Rhiannon for a while? I'm sure Ianto will appreciate it, let alone his sister.”

“I wouldn't have any idea what to talk to her about,” Jack said,giving another shrug.

“At this point, I don't think that really matters, just talking to her about anything could spark something inside her,” Toshiko answered. “talk about something you know, about being a pilot?”

“I'll give it ago,” Jack agreed, he hated seeing the woman stuck in her silent world as much as anyone and took a seat beside her and began to speak.

Toshiko Sato watched them, she could tell that Jack was putting everything he could into his one-sided conversation. At worst, it would have no effect whatsoever. And at best, it might help, something they all wanted. It could even help Jack too, if he touched upon his accident and the after effect.

Sensing he was being watched Jack glanced around and spotted Toshiko, he gave her a smile and then turned her attention back to Rhiannon. He had been talking to her for some while before he noticed something, where as he thought that she was just staring into space, she appeared to be intent on something upon the shelf in the nurses station but he couldn't determine what. 

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Jack was relieved to see Ianto back on the Tuesday looking fine and well, his own throat infection thwarted by the drugs he'd been given. However the day didn't go quite like he'd hoped. First Toshiko had taken him off to her office for a one on one session to discuss how his treatment was going, the level of pain he was experiencing and how he could try other methods than drugs to deal with it.

Then when he returned to the recreation area there was no sign of Ianto or his sister and after asking around he discovered that she had been assigned a new doctor and that Ianto had gone along with her to the floor below to be with her during her first meeting. He'd barely touched his lunch, anxious to talk to the man, including what he had noticed while he'd been spending time with Rhiannon, her fixation on something in the nurses office.

By the middle of the afternoon there was still no sign of either Ianto or his sister and Toshiko couldn't give him any details of what was happening, either because she didn't know or it was unethical to say he didn't know but during their scheduled exercise break in the yard he joined on a game of Basketball to pass the time.

Afterwards, feeling more than a little sorry for himself Jack headed to the showers and cleaned up, feeling hot from the game. Once he'd dried off he headed back to his own room, not feeling like he could face the others and just threw on a pair of pyjama's and picked up one of the many books he had taken out of the Institutes well stocked library and spent the next few hours reading.

It wasn't until the light began to fade that he became aware of how late it had gotten, he'd managed to miss their evening meal and his stomached growled to match his thoughts. Placing the book down Jack left his room and went in search of food, he knew that if there were any sandwiches left from earlier they would be in the fridge in the nurses station along with any cakes or biscuits.

He was half way there when he heard a sound behind him and broke into a smile when he saw the young man hurrying towards him.

“Ianto, I've been hoping to talk to you all day,” Jack said with a grin. “is everything okay with Rhiannon?”

“She had a bad breakdown when she met her new doctor,” Ianto explained. “I have no idea why, he just asked her how she was feeling and she burst into tears, she was howling like she was in pain and I knew I couldn't leave her until she had calmed down.”

“Just from him asking how she was?” Jack asked, frowning.

“Yep. I haven't seen her show that kind of emotion since … since losing her family,” Ianto answered. “she's cried yes, but only those sad silent tears that you've witnessed.”

“Then, this could be some kind of breakthrough?” Jack said and Ianto nodded before he continued. “While you were sick I spent some time talking to her and I noticed something, she seemed to be fixated on something in the nurses station. Do you have any idea what?”

“Not that I can think of,” Ianto answered, shaking his head.

“Then tomorrow we should look into it, see if we can work out what it might be?” Jack suggested.

“It can't hurt,” Ianto agreed, stepping a little closer to the Captain. “I missed you.”

“Yeah, I was so happy to see you back today,” Jack said, moving to close the gap between them even more. “despite catching your throat infection.”

“Oh, you're blaming me for that are you?” Ianto chuckled.

“Well, let me see,” Jack chuckled softly. “you got sick first, therefore I can conclude that I caught it from you.”

“Then with that evidence I can only concede that you're right,” Ianto said, trying to look apologetic. “do you forgive me?”

“If I don't then I won't have a reason to kiss you,” Jack said, cocking an eyebrow.

Ianto closed the final, small space between their bodies and lifted his arms to wrap them around the Captains neck.

“You don't need a reason, just do it,” Ianto whispered a little huskily.

With that their eyes locked and their lips met, kissing softly for a few minutes until Ianto's arms tightened around Jack's neck and the Captains arms looped around his waist to hold him tight. Their tongues tangling, teeth clashing and lips bruising as they poured every inch of their want and need into it until they had to part gasping for air.

“We should go somewhere more private,” Jack said, panting softly, aware that they were still in a corridor.

“Your room?” Ianto suggested.

“No, the walls are too thin,” Jack said, thinking hard and then taking the younger man's hand. “I have an idea, come with me.”

“Lead the way,” Ianto told him happily and let Jack lead him down to the end of the corridor and through a door, to close it again before turning on the light.

“It's the cleaners office,” Jack explained, nodding towards the cleaning products in the corner of the largish room. “but it's away from everyone else and there is a sofa in here, even if it is a little battered.”

“It looks comfy though,” Ianto smiled. “I think we should give it a test run.”

“I couldn't have put it better myself,” Jack replied, turning to lock the door behind them. 

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Jack sank down onto the sofa and pulled Ianto down with him so that the younger man straddled his lap with a knee on either side of his thighs, their lips pressed hard together while their hands roved over each others bodies through their clothes. Ianto pushed his hand up the bottom of Jack's pyjama to stroke over his chest. One of Jack's hands clutched at the younger man's denim covered arse while the other fumbled blindly to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his trousers before dragging his t shirt upwards and getting it stuck due to their current position.

They parted laughing softly at the predicament they had got themselves into and Ianto raised his arms so that Jack could pull the t shirt off over his head and then Jack offered his own in the same position for Ianto to remove his pyjama top and slung it rather carelessly onto the floor beside his own.

“Are we really going to do this?” Jack asked, his fingers trailing slowly through the curly brown hairs that covered his lovers chest to tweak one nipple and then the other.

“I hope so,” Ianto answered. “I really don't want to have to visit the gents to wank off before I leave!”

Jack chuckled. “Well, we can't have that now, can we?”

“Nope, why do you think I hung around hoping to see you?” Ianto asked, stopping only to let out a moan when Jack's lips covered his nipple and he felt the sharp edges of his teeth nipping at the hard nub. “I really did miss you, after that kiss we shared … I knew I wanted more.”

“Stupid throat infections,” Jack growled before grasping at the waistband of Ianto's now unfastened jeans and shoving them down to his knees, along with this briefs and grinning at the sight of the weeping erection before him.

“Hang on,” Ianto murmured, sliding backwards off his knees and onto his feet to kick off his shoes and strip off the remainder of his clothes.

Jack lifted his hips and quickly removed his pyjama bottoms, tossing them onto the rest of the discarded clothes while he watched Ianto delve into the pockets of his jeans before dumping them onto the floor and handed Jack what he had withdrawn.

Jack smiled at the small packet of lube, and a condom as Ianto took up his former position, straddling his thighs once more and taking Jack's cock in his hand he began to stroke it very slowly.

“I want to feel you buried deep inside me,” Ianto whispered, his accent deepening. “I want to ride you hard and feel you come deep inside me.”

“Lift your arse,” Jack told him, ripping off the corner of the packet containing the lube and using some to coat his fingers.

With his hand still around the Captains cock Ianto knelt up and pressed his body to his, raising his body so that Jack could reach around and run his fingers along the crack of his arse, letting out a long moan when the felt the tip of one teasing his hole.

“Please,” Ianto murmured, pressing down onto the digit, mentally willing the tight muscle to relax and letting out an even longer moan of pleasure when the finger slipped past it and into his body.

Ianto arched his back so he could drop his head downwards, frantic to feel the Captains lips on his own again while Jack's finger buried itself deep within his arse. His tongue thrusting into the older man's mouth to taste every inch of it, tangling with Jack's when he felt a second finger and then a third stretching the ring of muscle further with his own hand still lazily pumping the other man's erection.

Pulling back a little he looked Jack straight in the eye and then darted his head forward to nip at the Captains lip causing him to let out a small yelp, then soothed it with the tip if his tongue while bearing down on the fingers within his channel.

“Fuck. Me,” Ianto said, lifting his body upwards and releasing the fingers from his arse, changing position slightly while Jack's ripped open the condom packet and slid it on, hand replacing Ianto on his own cock to hold it still while Ianto lowered his body once more.

Both of them let out long sounds of pleasure as Jack's cock slid easily into the prepared arse hole, Ianto pushed down until the Captains cock was buried inside him as deeply as possible. Neither of them moved for a moment or two, both of them drinking in the sensations. Ianto of Jack's cock within his body and Jack the tight heat surround his engorged cock. And then Ianto began to move.

Placing his hands on the back of the sofa for extra leverage he pushing himself upwards until only the head of the Captains cock was left inside him and then plunged back down again. The room filled with the sounds of flesh against flesh. The moans and groans of pleasure that escaped from their mouths. The aroma of their sex.

Their lips glued together again while Jack's hand pumped his lovers cock, feeling it growing just that little bit more and then he felt it, those tiny little pulsations hinting at the coming orgasm. Then Ianto came with a loud grunt of ecstasy, his come spurting out in warm white streams between their bodies, onto their bellies. The muscles of his arse contracting tightly around the cock buried inside him, the pressure sending Jack closer and closer to the edge and then over it until he was thrusting deeply into the younger man's body, shooting his own essence into the confines of the condom.

Ianto head dropped onto the Captains shoulder, resting it there while they both slowly managed to get a hold of their breathing again, then lifting his body once more he felt his lovers softening cock slide from his body. Jack pulled the condom off, knotted the top and dropped it onto the hard concrete floor of the cleaners room and then grinned at Ianto.

“You're good,” Jack said, beaming from ear to ear.

“You're not so bad yourself!” Ianto chuckled, then shivered slightly.

“Cold?” Jack asked, wrapping his arms around him tightly.

“It's not exactly warm in here,” Ianto admitted.

“True, and I guess we should get dressed before someone comes and finds us,” Jack said reluctantly.

Ianto climbed off Jack's lap, his feet hitting the cold floor and located his underwear. He used the briefs to clean up the drying come off his body and then discarded them while Jack copied actions. Once dressed in the rest of his clothes Ianto shoved the soiled briefs in the pocket of his jeans and waited while Jack finished dressing.

“You normally do wear too many clothes,” Ianto stated with a small smile at the older man, watching him pull on his simple pyjamas.

“It's what I feel comfortable in,” Jack shrugged then kissed the younger man softly on the lips.

“I should get going,” Ianto said with a reluctant sigh.

“Yeah, I don't think they'd be too happy to find you in my bed with me in the morning,” Jack chuckled. “I'll be out of here soon, I only have a week or so to go.”

“And then we can shag any time we want,” Ianto told him. “if you want?”

“If I want, why wouldn't I?” Jack frowned.

“It's just …” Ianto trailed off.

“If you think that I was just trying to seduce you just to relieve the boredom you couldn't be more wrong,” Jack told him. “I like you a lot Ianto, I want to keep seeing you for as long as you can put up with me. I'm hard work, I have bad days, I won't lie to you. The pain in my leg can be really intense at times and it can cause me to become a right moody sod ...”

This time Ianto interrupted him.

“I can put up with moody, if you promise to make any apology include a damn good fuck?” Ianto told him, breaking into a wide grin. “and next time, I get to top!”

“Deal!” Jack agreed, sealing it with one last kiss before Ianto left for the night, promising to return the next day and Jack went in search of food. 

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

“Doctor Sato, there's something I want to try,” Ianto told the woman, watching his sister sitting quietly over by the window with Jack at her side. “I want to show her that box that she had when she was admitted.”

“How many times do I have to ask you to call me Tosh?” Toshiko said with a smile.

“It doesn't seem right,” Ianto told her. “now, about that box?”

“I'm really not sure that's a good idea, you remember the effect it had on her when she arrived?” Toshiko answered.

“I want to try, Jack told me that when I was sick and he was speaking to Rhiannon she was fixated on something in the nurses station,” Ianto replied. “I couldn't think what it might be until last night and then it suddenly came to me, I think she needs to see the contents.”

“If she does … this could go very wrong Ianto, she could end up back in the secure unit,” Toshiko warned him.

“But it could also have the opposite effect, bringing her out of it, I want my sister back Tosh,” Ianto told her sadly. “and if there is even the remotest chance that this might work, then I need to try it.”

“Okay, I can see your reasoning but you only thought about this last night,” Toshiko replied. “why don't you think on it for the rest of the day and if you still want to go ahead then we can do it later, when everyone are back in their rooms for the night. Have you spoken to Jack about this?”

“Nope, not yet,” Ianto admitted, even though it had been Jack that had initially sparked it in his mind.

“It might help to get someone else's opinion,” she suggested. “I can give Jack a day pass, you could go somewhere and talk.”

Ianto nodded. “Can I ask you something, about Jack?”

“You know I have to protect patient confidentiality?” Toshiko responded.

“It's not about his treatment,” Ianto added. “I know it's coming up to the end of his time and I know that you don't like people to go back to their home if their alone so ...”

“Spit it out then!” Toshiko exclaimed with a knowing chuckle.

“I've asked Jack to come and stay with me, would that be okay?” Ianto finally blurted out.

“I have to admit that I haven't missed just how close you two have gotten,” Toshiko smiled. “you might want to take more care clearing up after yourselves next time you have a little fun in the cleaners room.”

Ianto felt himself blush bright red as it dawned on him what she meant, the image of the condom they had dropped on the floor so clearly in his mind. The condom that in their haste to leave they had left lying in the spot where it landed.

“Don't worry, I overheard one of the cleaners blaming one of the others for using it as his 'knocking shop' and wouldn't believe his denial,” Toshiko said, her grin widening. “and your reaction just proves that I was right in my assumption.”

“Oh shit!” Ianto muttered, wishing a hole would swallow him up right there and then.

“Sorry, no-one else has any idea, I promise,” Toshiko said, apologising for embarrassing the young man. “and in answer to your question, if you think you can handle having the Captain around 24/7 then that's fine by me. He needs someone to keep an eye on him, make sure he sticks to his current meds and doesn't fall back into his old ways.”

“I can do that,” Ianto told her sincerely. “feeling the blush still burning on his cheeks and doing his best to ignore it. “I want him clean too, if we're to make a go of things.”

“You're really that serious about each other?” Toshiko asked.

“I'd like us to be,” Ianto smiled.

“Then yes, I think being with you will be good for him,” Toshiko agreed. “I will go and sort out the day pass for Jack while you go and tell him what your planning.”

“Thank you Tosh, I really think this could get some kind of … a reaction or something from Rhiannon,” Ianto said.

“I just hope it's not a bad one,” Toshiko sighed. “I will make sure there is a nurse on hand, just in case we have to sedate her.”

Ianto nodded. “I understand.”

“Good, now go and see Jack and your sister and I'll bring the day pass over to him shortly,” Toshiko instructed and headed off to her office. 

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

“You are sure you want to put yourself, let alone your sister through this?” Jack asked Ianto, taking a long sip of his water while the other man answered.

“It's time,” Ianto nodded. “from what you've told me, how Rhiannon reacted when you were talking to her ...”

“She was certainly staring at something, a box in the nurses station you say?” Jack asked.

“It's got some things that belonged to the children in it, the toys they had with them in the car when it, it crashed,” Ianto answered, his voice hitching at the memory of their loss.

“But you said that the last time she saw them she ended up being sedated and in isolation,” Jack said, his voice full of concern. “aren't you worried it might happen again?”

“Yes, of course I am!” Ianto retorted a little more harshly than he intended. “But until now she has never shown any interest in anything, you've seen for yourself how she barely looks up from her own hands in her lap? Surely some response is better than nothing? And I need to know Jack, I need to know … I could get my sister back!”

“And you're prepared for this not working, for the worst?” Jack asked, ignoring his lovers tone.

“Of course I'm fucking not!” Ianto hissed under his breath so that no-one could hear him other than Jack. “But … how many times do I have to say this? I want my sister back and for that I am willing to try anything, ANYTHING!”

“Then I will do anything to help,” Jack said gently, reaching out to take his lovers hand over the table they were sharing for lunch. “whatever happens, I will be there for you.”

“Thank you,” Ianto said quietly, his eyes filling with tears, his emotions threatening to burst out completely. “Tosh said we can do this this evening.”

Jack nodded. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“Please,” Ianto answered, needing to be somewhere less public.

Jack summoned the waiter, requested and paid for the bill and within minutes they were in Ianto's car and driving out into the countryside.

“Where are we going?” Jack asked.

“The woods,” Ianto told him. “peace and quiet and no people.”

“That sounds good,” Jack answered, leaving Ianto to his thoughts as they drove.

Ianto pulled the car to a stop near the edge of the woods, by a public footpath. They locked the car and headed along the path hand in hand until they came to a clearing where the wild flowers flourished in the afternoon sunshine.

“It's beautiful here,” Jack said, looking around admiringly and letting Ianto lead him to the fallen tree trunk where they sat.

“My parents used to bring us here when we were small,” Ianto explained with a smile. “Rhiannon would pick the daisies and make daisy chains for my mam while I ran around the woods pretending to be anything from a soldier to Robin Hood. They would bring a picnic and we would spend the whole day here.”

“Sound good,” Jack agreed.

“I've not been here in years, but it's pretty much how I remember it,” Ianto continued. “I feel calmer already, just being here somehow.”

“How could you not?” Jack smiled softly. “it's got to be the most peaceful place around for miles.”

“Jack … if this goes wrong this evening and I … I put mu sister back in isolation ...” Ianto stuttered.

“It won't be anyone's fault, Rhiannon is very fragile,” Jack said supportively. “you just have to remember that you are doing what you think is best for your sister.”

“But ...” Ianto began, but Jack cut him off.

“Enough, no more beating yourself up over what might not happen,” Jack said firmly. “if the worse happens we will deal with it, for now we will think positively, yes?”

Ianto looked into his eyes for a few moments before answering. “Yep, yes.”

“Good,” Jack said, leaning forwards to brush his lips softly over the younger man's.

“Oh, and just so you know, Tosh has worked out just how close we have gotten,” Ianto admitted, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“There's no flies on that woman,” Jack chuckled softly.

“Yeah, well, the condom we left on the floor of the cleaners office might have given it away,” Ianto told him, blushing at the memory of Tosh telling him.

“Whoops!” Jack laughed. “No matter, it's all out in the open now. Did you ask her about me moving in with you when I leave the Institute?”

“Yep, and she's fine with it,” Ianto said, finally breaking into a smile. “she thinks I will be a good influence on you.”

This made Jack roar with laughter.

“What?” Ianto asked.

“She doesn't know you like I do!” Jack stated, letting Ianto pull him into his arms and kiss him soundly.

The kiss went on until they heard a man calling out, then a dog bounded up to them excitedly, tail wagging.

“Hello boy,” Ianto said, holding his hand out to the animal to sniff before stroking it's soft furry head.

“Ben, are you making a nuisance of yourself again?” The voice called out again and a man appeared from the trees. “Sorry, come on boy.”

“He's fine,” Jack assured him but the dog have them one last sniff and bounded off back to his master.

“I guess we should get back,” Ianto sighed, glancing at his watch.

“We should,” Jack agreed, getting to his feet and then holding out a hand to his lover.

Ianto took it and allowed Jack to pull him into his embrace where they shared another long kiss before retracing their path back to the car.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Ianto couldn't miss the look on his sisters face when they led her into the medical ward of the Institute, she looked scared even though he had spent time reassuring her that nothing bad was going to happen and when he felt Jack squeeze the hand he held in his own he knew his concern for his sister must have been showing clearly too.

“You don't have to do this,” Jack said softly to him so Rhiannon couldn't hear.

“I'm so scared this won't work, that she'll regress again,” Ianto admitted. “but on the other hand, it might work better than I could have ever imagined and I'll have my sister back.”

“She still have to stay here for a while, even if it does work,” Jack said. “they'll want to monitor for a couple of weeks at least to make sure she's really okay.”

“I know, but she'll be on the right path,” Ianto said, a smile of hope twitching his lips. “I need to do this, I need to know if I'm right.”

“Then I will be here for you, like I promised,” Jack replied, squeezing the younger man's hand again. “do you want me to be in here with you, or would rather it was just the two of you, Toshiko and the medical staff?”

“Stay, please!” Ianto stated, not wanting to let go of the Captains hand.

“Are we all ready?” Toshiko asked, entering the room and closing the door of the single room on the ward.

“As ready as I'll ever be,” Ianto told her, noting that his sister still looked apprehensive.

“Then we should begin,” Toshiko said, taking a seat beside Rhiannon and indicating that Jack and Ianto should sit too.

Jack and Ianto sat on the two chairs that had been set out for them across the room, hands still joined and watched as the two medics filled a syringe with sedative out of Rhiannon's sight just in case it was required while Toshiko spoke to her softly.

Rhiannon made no indication of acknowledging what Toshiko said to her, all the while just staring down at her hand that lay in her lap.

“I'm going to bring to box out now,” Toshiko told Ianto and he nodded his agreement.

Toshiko reached under the bed next to where she was sat and pulled out the box. At the sight of it Rhiannon reacted, none of them missed the look in her eyes when her head shot up and stared at it. The look wasn't one of horror, more one of hope.

“Oh my god ...” Ianto uttered under his breath, releasing the breath he never realised he had been holding.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked him.

“Yep,” Ianto said simply, watching as Toshiko lifted off the lid and then with amazement when Rhiannon held out her hands for it.

Wordlessly Toshiko handed the other woman the box, setting it on her lap. The room was silent as they waited for her reaction to the contents, any reaction. Rhiannon looked into the box for a minute or two before reaching it and pulling out a toy RAF plane, her eyes shining brightly as tears welled up within them.

“What did you say to her? When I was ill? What did you talk about?” Ianto asked Jack quietly.

“About my life as a pilot, how I missed flying and how I hurt my leg among other things,” Jack shrugged. “nothing much, I just told her stories.”

“Whatever it was, I think it helped,” Ianto said, observing how his sister was examining the small plastic plane carefully before putting it aside and reaching into the box.

This time she pulled out a Sindy doll, it's hair long and golden and it's dress that of a princess in the palest of pinks.

“They are the kids toys, the ones that were in the car with them ...” Ianto stated quietly. “when they had the accident.”

“Look at Rhiannon, look at her face,” Jack urged.

Ianto lifted his gaze up from the box and his sisters hands and looked at her properly. Tears were pouring down her face but she has a sad smile on her lips, accepting the tissue Toshiko offered her she wiped her face and looked straight at her brother.

“Ianto?” She said, her voice so quiet but easily heard in the noiseless room.

“Rhiannon, oh my god, Rhiannon,” Ianto answered, almost shouting and dropped Jack's hand to rush across the room to his sister.

Rhiannon stood up and threw herself into the arms of her brother. Ianto pulled her tight into his embrace, feeling her whole body shake as she sobbed into his shoulder.

“Shhh, it's okay, you're okay,” Ianto whispered to her, stroking her hair comfortingly. “I'm here for you.”

“Lets leave them alone,” Toshiko told the two medics, ushering them from the room. “Jack, if she changes in anyway, come and get me straight away?”

“Of course,” Jack told her, not sure if he himself should leave too and give them some privacy.

“Ianto, do you want me to go?” Jack asked, getting to his feet.

“No, stay Jack,” Ianto answered, feeling his sister lift her head from his shoulder, her sobs subsiding.

“Jack,” she said softly, giving the older man a smile through her tears. “thank you.”

“Thank you?” Jack echoed, unsure why she would say that to him.

“For talking to me, about anything and everything,” she told him. “especially about being a pilot, you reminded me how much my son wanted to fly planes when he grew up and I think that's what sparked something inside me. I knew I couldn't keep … living how I was, I just needed something to ignite the spark.”

“That was Jack too, he spotted you staring into the nurses station,” Ianto told her. “and I realised that it was the box with the children's toys inside.”

“Not just their toys,” Rhiannon said sadly, having seen her husbands watch in the box too.

“I'm so sorry Rhiannon, that you lost your family so suddenly,” Ianto told her.

“At least I still have you,” she answered. “if it hadn't been for you visiting me constantly I'm not sure I would still be alive ...”

“Don't say that,” Ianto said, hushing her gently. “and what else could I have done, you would have been here for me if it was the other way around.”

Rhiannon nodded and then turned her attention back to Jack.

“So, you're my brother's boyfriend then?” She asked him outright.

“I guess you could put it that way,” Jack chuckled.

“You never told me you were gay?” Rhiannon said to her brother. “I know you had girlfriends?”

“I'm not gay,” Ianto snorted. “I just … fell for a man!”

“I can't say I blame you, he looks like a film star!” Rhiannon blurted out.

“Do you know, that's the first time I've ever seen Jack blush,” Ianto laughed, seeing Jack's face colour up at his sisters statement. “but you're right, he does.”

“Right here, in the room!” Jack said, feigning annoyance and then breaking into a grin.

At the sound of a tap on the door they all looked to see Toshiko standing in the doorway smiling softly.

“How are you feeling Rhiannon?” She asked the woman.

“Better than I have in a long time,” Rhiannon answered. “When can I go home?”

“Soon, a couple of weeks maybe,” Toshiko replied. “I just want to keep an eye on your for a little longer, is that okay?”

“What's another two weeks in the scheme of things?” The other woman shrugged. “Ianto, where will I live? I can't see the council still having the house for me?”

“Your stuff is all at my place, you'll be welcome for as long as you want,” Ianto told her.

“But Jack's moving in with you, I heard you talking,” Rhiannon said. “you won't want me hanging around.”

“We've already discussed it,” Jack broke in. “there is plenty of room in Ianto's house for the three of us and we're not going to take no for an answer!”

“But ...” she began.

“No argument!” Ianto stated firmly.

“Okay, but only until I can find a place of my own, deal?” She asked.

“Deal,” Ianto and Jack agreed in unison.

“Great,” Toshiko smiled. “now Rhiannon, it's getting late I should do some basic tests before bedtime, is that okay with you?”

“Sure,” the other woman answered. “I'll see you tomorrow Ianto?”

“You can count on it,” Ianto grinned, letting them leave the room before tugging Jack into his arms and kissing him hard.

“What was that for?” Jack asked when they broke apart panting.

“For helping, with my sister,” Ianto answered.

“I'm sure she would have got there with your help too,” Jack replied.

“Just take the credit, yeah?” Ianto asked, hugging him even tighter.

“Does that mean I'm a hero?” Jack chuckled softly.

“Oh yeah ...” Ianto sighed and then winked at the Captain. “and I know something you don't.”

“Are you going to tell me then?” Jack asked.

“When I spoke to Toshiko earlier she told me that she was going to discharge you tomorrow,” Ianto grinned widely.

“Really?” Jack asked, a little aghast.

“Why would I lie?” Ianto laughed.

“Ianto Jones, I love you!” Jack said, laughing along with him.

“That's a good job, considering I'll be taking you home with me tomorrow,” Ianto said, pulling the Captain into another long, hard kiss. 

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Three weeks later …

“She will love it, it looks great,” Jack said, pulling Ianto away from the duvet cover he was straightening on the bed in the room that was to be his sisters for the umpteenth time.

“What if she hates the colour?” Ianto asked, fretting a little. “I mean, purple was always her favourite colour when we were kids, she might hate it now!”

“Ianto, your sister won't care what colour the room or it's décor is, all she wants to be out of the Institute and getting back to a normal life.” Jack assured him. “She will love the room, I promise you.”

“You're right, you're right,” Ianto sighed. “she should be arriving any minute now, I wish she had let me pick her up.”

“I think her getting a taxi here was the start of her getting back into normality, I can understand that,” Jack said. “if I had been in there as long as she had I would probably feel the same. Four weeks was long enough.”

“You won't miss your follow up appointment with Toshiko, will you?” Ianto asked the Captain, worried that now he was out he would ignore such things.

“If I do, you'll give me hell and I'm not going to put myself through that,” Jack smiled. “or the decaf coffee either, why did you never tell me you made such fantastic coffee?”

“And not know if you wanted to live with me 'cos you loved me or if you just wanted my coffee?” Ianto chuckled.

“Oh I fell in love with you the first time I saw you,” Jack said, his grin growing wider.

“You daft sod,” Ianto said, this time laughing loudly and then kissing him soundly before adding. “and if I'm honest, I think I did the same.”

“I hear a car, she's here!” Jack stated, feeling just as excited about Ianto's sister finally getting out of the Institute as he was.

Ianto pulled away from his lovers embrace and pulled the curtain aside to look out the window.

“It's her,” Ianto said excitedly and then sprinted from the room and downstairs, Jack hot on his heels to open the door before she had time to knock.

“Here,” Ianto said, handing the taxi driver a couple of notes, took his sisters small bag from him and then threw his arms around her.

“It's so good to have you here,” Ianto told her, his emotions boiling up within him.

“It's good to be here,” she replied, tears of happiness filling her eyes.

“We've got everything ready for you,” Jack told her with a smile. “Ianto insisted the bedding had to be purple.”

“You remembered my favourite colour,” Rhiannon said, a little surprised. “I'm impressed.”

“How could I forget, everything you owned was purple!” Ianto exclaimed, steering her into the house and closing the door.

“Or black.” Rhiannon added with a laugh.

“That's true,” Ianto agreed.

“How about you put the coffee on and I'll show Rhiannon up to her room?” Jack suggested, adding to Rhiannon as they headed up the stairs. “you wouldn't want my coffee, it's awful!”

“I'll take your word for it,” she said, following Jack into the room that was to be hers. “oh this is gorgeous!”

“I told him you'd love it,” Jack told her.

“I'd have loved it no matter however it looked,” Rhiannon told him. “It's good to be out of that place.”

“I told him that too,” Jack laughed. “now, let me show you where the bathroom is and the like.”

“Lead the way,” she told him.

Stood at the bottom of the stairs while the coffee brewed Ianto listened to the conversation that his lover and his sister were having with a smile on his face. If the truth be told he never thought he would see the day his sister would leave the Institute, let alone being back to her old self again. Oh he knew she wasn't over it, no-one could get over the death of her family that easily, but she was getting there and this was the proof of it.

With a big smile on his face Ianto made his way back to the kitchen, cut a cake into slices and placed on a place, arranged some biscuits on another and then poured the coffee into the waiting cups.

“Perfect timing,” Jack stated, walking into the kitchen.

“Where's Rhiannon?” Ianto asked, looking for his sister.

“She's just freshening up in the bathroom, don't worry,” Jack assured him. “and she'll be down in a few minutes.”

“Great, you can help carry all this through to the living room then,” Ianto said, handing Jack the two plates contain the cake and biscuits before setting the coffee cups and side plates on a tray and following him through to the other room and placing them on the coffee table.

“I can't believe this day is finally here,” Ianto said quietly. “what if she hates living with me?”

“She won't,” Jack told him, kissing him softly on the brow and then pulling him into a hug.

“How can you be sure?” He asked.

“Because I've been here three weeks and the have been the best of my life,” Jack answered, then kissed him softly, their lips lingering for a minute or two before they let them part and their foreheads found each other to rest comfortably together.

“Am I interrupting something?” Rhiannon asked, amusement in her voice.

“No, no,” Ianto said, pulling away from his lover, feeling a blush creeping over his cheeks.

“Hey, don't mind me,” she told them with a cheeky grin, taking a seat on the sofa and helping herself to a biscuit. “and I want you both to know that I am a sound sleeper and I have an iPod that I can turn up if need be!”

“Rhiannon!” Ianto spluttered, causing both his lover and sister to burst into fits of laughter at the look on his face.

“I think this is going to work just fine,” Jack said, taking a seat next to Rhiannon and taking a large slice of cake.

“Yeah,” Ianto said, laughing at himself. “I think so too.”

The End.


End file.
